The present invention relates generally to self-developing photographic cameras. More particularly, it relates to low-cost cameras of the above type that are manually operable as well as simplified in construction and operation.
Over the years a wide variety of cameras employing self-developing film have enjoyed widespread consumer and commercial success because of the immediacy of the photographic results. Many of such cameras are typically provided with electric motors and associated geared transmissions which essentially operate to drive each exposed film unit from an exposure station to the camera's exterior, as well as drive a camera processing system for processing such film units prior to each one emerging from the camera. The automatic film advancing and processing systems while providing for ease and reliability of operation add to the overall cost and complexity, as well as present packaging issues relating to compactness. Due to recent advancements in the field of photography, and in particular single-use cameras, it is desirable to provide for low-cost, self-developing cameras having single-use capabilities. It is, therefore, desirable to provide such cameras, whereby the costs and complexity, particularly associated with automatic film advancing and processing systems, are reduced. One example is to provide such cameras with manually operable systems. One example is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,781. Another effort is described in the last-noted copending U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 08/826,237, U.S. Pat. No. 5,838,997; which application is incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof. Despite the existence of known manual processing systems including the improvements noted in said application, there exists, nevertheless, a continuing desire to improve on all facets of such cameras; particularly in terms of enhancing the ease and reliability of use, as well as the compactness of overall architecture.